Thomas albkt



THOMAS aLDRjigocn WESTON, OF 'sfNGls NORTON, EN-emiro.

Letters Patent No. 75,227, dated March 3, 1868.`

IMPROVEMENT IN GOUPLING AND BRAKE;

@te ttthnicnfemh iu iti iigrse tritrts hneln mit making peut ai tige Smm'.

i i :To ALL. :cO'WHOM Ir MAY CONCERN:

Be it knownthat 1', THOMAS' ALDRIDGE WESTON, at present residing at Kings Norton,` inthe county of Worcester, England, mechanical engineer, a citizen of the United States of America, have i'nvcutcd or discovered A New or ImprovctlCoupling and Brake for '.lransmitting, or Regulating, or ArrestingMetiong and I, the -said TiIAMAs ALnnmon WEs'rON, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention, and in what manner-the same is to be performed, toA beparticul'arly described anti-ascertained i-n and by the following statement thereof# My invention consists of the arrangement-or' combination of parts heifeinaftor described, and'illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereby tivo shafts, or other bodies` capable of rot'nrymotion en a common axis or on axes in a line with each other, are so coupledtogethcrthat rotary motion iii-the 'one may be transmitted to the other, orrotary motion .in the one may bc retarded or arrested by the other. My saidinvention. consists essentially in the employment of two series of disks, which are connected respectively to the two shafts or codice to be coupled together, or unooupled from one another,the disks o n one shaft or body alternating with those on `the other shaft'or body, and cach series capable vof sliding from or towards euch other.- When the alternating* disks are notin contact, the two' shafts or bodies c an rotate independently of .,oneanother. It", however, the tito-series of disks are brought intocontaot-,and pressed together, the friction between thctwc series of disks fwill, according 4to thehumber of disks employed, and the force with which they are pressed together, either retardar arrestany rotary motion which either may have. If the pressure be suiiiccntly great, the two sets of disks', and the shafts or bodies to which they arefrespectivelyeo nnccted,=:aro coupled togethcm'and the rotary motion of the one trnnsmittedto the other, l

In order that my invention may be better understood, I will proceed to describe, with ieferenceto the accompartying drawings, the meuneriin-which the same is to be performed.

' Figures 1, 2, 3, 4', and 5, represent the simplest form of a coupling, constructedaccording to my invention, applied to the coupling and' ucoupling of a. shaft and pinionv i v Figuiejbeing a side elevation, Figure2 a; longitudinal section, and

Figures 3, 4, and 5 are portions ofthe same'. a is the. shaft, and the pinion, which`two partsare Vto be frictionally connected with each other with varyin g degrees of force suited to the machine or purpose to which the-invention is applied. The said shaft a (shown separately in fig. 5) has a colla-r atf, between which and the boss', e2, ofthe hand-wheel e, the pressure is app-lied by the screwing ofthe said hand-wheel upon the screw The shaft -a-is plain at y, in order that the pinion b may turn freely thereonwhen the pressure is withdrawn. The pinion b has firmly attached to'it small bars or' rods c, supported at their further ends in the ring d. Within this framing two series of disks, marked respectively lm, are situated'. The shaft a is-iluted at h, or otherwisemade to correspond with the centralopening of v the disks m. The said disks are thercby'madc to turn with' the said shaft,.bntare also-.capable of sliding upon the shaft. The other disks Z'arc slotted at their edges (sce fig. 3) to engage with the rods c. The said disks Z Aare thereby made'to turn with the pinion-frame, and are also capable of sliding upon the shaft a. When no .pressure is applied to the coupling, the pinion b is wholly disconnected from the shaft a, and mayturn independently of it, the said pinion carrying with it thc attached rods c, ring d, and engaged disks l. Likewise, the shaft a may turn independently of ,the pinion b and parts connected with it, the said shaft a, in turning, carry ing with it. the disks m and the hand-wheel fitted to the Vscrew t'.

s Theseries of disks Z and the other series m are placed alternately, as represented. Both series may slide engthwiseon thc shaft a, as before explainech-so that their sides mayb'e in more orless intimate contact `".lhc

pressure of the hand-wheel c, when applied to the end disk, is transmitted through the whole doubleV series to the vpinion b, and the said pinion pressed forcibly against the collarj', on the axis a. m

The shaft aand pinion b are thus frictioually connected together, and the rotation of the one -is transmittedtotheothcr. Each disk of the double series has the seme amount of compression as if it wore the first and only one interposed between the boss c ofthe handwheelc and the collar f. The frictional connection between the shaft a and pinion b, caused b y the pressure of the handfn'heci e upon tiic double seriesof disks,' increases in the same ratio as the number of disks employed; thus, with five pairs of disks, the friction from the pressure of the hand-wheel c, is multiplied tenfold, or nearlysso; with six pairs, twelve times, and so on;

The frictional resistance to independent motion between the two bodies frictionally connected, as in the case of the shaft and pinion represented, may be increased at pleasure, by adding to the number of disks, or by` increasing their diameter, so that wherethcrc is little diuinetrical space, or a limited longitudinal space for a shaft, this frietional coupling may bcvsuited to either case by adding to the number of disks and reducing the diameter, or lby adding to the diameter and reducing the number.

The materials of the disks must be'varied according to circumstances. lFor ordinary pressures the series that rotate with the shaft may be of iron, and the other series of hard wood, elm beingjmore commonly used For very intense pressures, both series may be of iron, and one o f them wholly or partly faced with wood, or one series may be made of iron and the other of another metal,isuch asgun-rnetal or copper. A pulley, orothor rotating par-t of a machine, may be substituted for the pinion Z1, and instead of the bars c, a barrel may loc-made with projections or ribs, to engage with the disks, in the same mnnner'as the bars.

l Instead-of applying pressure to the coupling and brake by the screwed.'handswhecl, the pressure may-be applied directly fromrthe forked end of a lever pressing immediately upon the disks, in `the manner commonly used in frictional cone-couplings. v

Figures 6, 7, and 8 represent another form of`my invention, applied as a coupling for revolving shafts. iig. 6 being e. longitudinal vertical section, representing the coupling in action, and figs. 7 and 8 transverse sectiens of the same through the lines E, F, G, H, respectively.

a is the shaft, to which is secured, by a key, b, the hollow cylinder c, shown in transverse section in fig. 7. I

d is another shaft, the square part of which isshown in section in dg. 7. The said shaft d has a bearing'or journal in the nut e, and another bearing atits end in the cylinder c at t'. The nut e isscrewcd on its exterior to fit or engagewith a corresponding screw cut in the cylinder c. are angular disks, shown in elevation in g. 8; g g are circular disks, the outline of which is shown in the section, iig. 7. t is a wooden disk, to give elasticity to the pressure applied by the screw-nut e. The series of hexagonal disksf havecircular openings in them, as shown in fig. 8, in which the'shaft d may rotate freely, and the said disksfare rather smaller in diameter`than the interior of the cylinder in which they are situated7 so that they may move longitudinally therein, but are prevented from rotating by their angular figure. The series of'circula-r disks gg have square openings iitting loosely the shaft d, which prevent them rotating on it, but allow them to move longitudinally. i Tbeoutline of the disks g g is circular, allowing them to rotate within the hexagonal cylinder c when required. i The action of the coupling is as follows: The nut a being withdrawn, so that it exerts no pressure upon the disks j', against which its inner end bears, thc shaft d, with its series of disks g, may rotate in its bearings without giving motion to the shaft a. 'In like manner, the shaft a-may rotate with tsscries of'disks f, without giving motion to the shaft d. To establish frictional connection between the two shafts, a and d, the nute is screwed inwards, compressing all the disks of both series together, and compressing thembetween the said nut e and the inner end of the cylinder c. Thus onevof these shafts may be made to drive or rotate `the other with u. degree of force regulated by the pessure of the nut e. The frictiorial connection of the two shafts lproduced* by the pressure ofthe nut e upon the disks may be increased to any' degree byv adding to the number oi.`- disks. Frietional coupling for shafting may-thus be obtained of small diameter to transmit any amount of power suited to the shaft, and which may loe/controlled by a single screw-nut.

Figures 9, 10, and 1l, represent a coupling, constructed according to my invention, for connecting ordisconnecting shafts when in motion.. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section, Irepresenting the coupling in action. v Fig.

10 is a transverse section, and iig. 11, a section of one of the disks:

a and d are shafts. c isa hollow cylinder, secured by the key b-to the shaft-a. The saidvcylindcr c has a groove cut lengthwise in its interior, into'which the tongues' or `projections upon the dis'ksf enter, as shown in` igs. 9 and 10. j is a collar, screwed and pinned upon thsend of the shaft d,.its exterior having a bearing 'in the cylinder c. Length'wisc upon thc shaft d a groove, d, is made, into `which the tongues or projections ofthe disks g g enter, as will he understood by an cxanination of gs. l0 and 11. The outer disk g of-thc series g'g, is made much larger in diameter than the others, to wholly close the outer end of the cylinder c, as shown in i'igVQl lc is a hollow shaft, with a feather or projection, Z, extending into the groove ol2 in. the shaftd, the said feather or projection', Z, being similar in section to the projections upon the disks y which enter the same groove d. On the exterior of the hollowshaft k a screw is eut, and a corresponding screw is made in the centre of the hand-wheel e". The hollow shaft 'k abuts against the boss or `centre ofthe hand-wheel n. Y Uponthe shaft d a screw,-m, is cut, and a corresponding screw is made in the centre of the hand-wheel n; l

The two series of disks,fand g, are arranged alternately with cach other, as her'einbcfore explained. The

hand-\vl1eel le being screwed. backwards towards the hand-wheel n, `so that no pressure is exerted through the disk g', upon the series of disks, the sl1aft d, as well as the two hand-whcels e andn, disk g', and the disksg, will 4beat rest, while the shaft a revolves, carrying -withit the, cylinder` aand disksf. If the rotation of the' shaft a' he in the direction of the arrow, the screw upon 'which the hand-wheel 1t traverses being n right-handed one, the said hand-wheel n is screwed up, pushing before it, towards the shaft a,.the hollow shaft'lc and hand-wheel e,

until it receives, together with the disks g, shaft d, and hand-wheel c, the rotatory motion of the shaft a, and,

after"tl.is motion is transmitted from the shafta to the shaft d, the frictional connection betwscn'thesaid shafts aand d maybe increased' by checking the rotation of thehand-wheel n, the rotation of the saidA hand-wheel being in the direction lof the arrow, and the sere-w, upon .which the said hund-wheel traverses, a right-handed one. Should the velocity he too great to allowof checking tho-speedof the hand-wheel n by grasping it with the hand, other means mustbe adopted, as, for cxarnplc, a simple wooden lever pressed againstlits periphery'.v

To disconnect the 'two shnftsa and d. when rotating'a's shown, it is only required to check the motion of the hand-wheel e, which traverses .upon the left-.handed screw of the hollow shaft l'c. When the coupling 'is in notion, all the parte may have the positions shown infg. 9.

-If tho driving-shaft rotates in :t contrary direction to that indicated by the arrow, the shafts ft and d are connected together by using the hand-wheel c,- and disconnected from each otherby using the hand-Wheel u. By giving the'disksf and g the' sectional Ligure represented in fic. 9, they are stronger, and haven; better bearing against the hollow cylinder c and shaft d, respectively, than theywould have were their sides parallel, and maintain more accurately a. position at right angles to their common axis.

Figure l2 represents in vertical longitudinal section a brake, constructed according to myinvention, applied to a. hoisting-machine.

a is a pinion-shaft, on `'hich the pinion b is keyed. Winches or cranks are applied to the sduare ends of the shaft a. On the angular part, a", ofthe shaft a is a series of disks, c c, rotating with the shaft 4l.' and capable of sliding npon it. d d are disks alternating with the disks c c, the said disks (l c2 being hexagonal, and

capable of sliding in the hexagonal box c, but capable of rota-tion. The box e is fixed .to the framef of the hoist. g is a screw worked by the hand-wheel z., the said screw g engaging with-the hollow screw in the'cireular' end of the hexagonal box el By`means'ot` the handwheel 7L the screw g maybe made to advance into and may he withdrawn from the cnd of the hoz; e, and the two series of disks, c c and d d, compressed together, so as to arrest the motion of the shaft a, or liberate it, so as not to impede the motion of thesaid shaft a.

Figure 13 represents in section, and Figure 1st in elevation, a modification of my invention, which has for its object to prevent the' c'ommunicationrof undue strains ir. toothed gearing.

a is the angular driring-shui't carrying thedisks 6, which slide upon it, but cannot rotate independently 0l' it. c c are a series of disks alternating with the disks Z b. The said disksc are mach larger in diameter than the disks b, and are so formed that when compressed together they constitute a pinion or toothed wheel` as represented in figg'. 14' By means of the screw fZ, on the shaft a, and the 'scien-r-.1ite, upon the screwd, the disks o and c may be coinpressed together wit-li such force that the. ti othed wheel ,Inlon formed by the disks c may yield, and not be carried round by the shaft a when the resistance to the vmotion of the toothed wheel c exceeds that to which the apparatus is adjusted.

Figure 15 represents in elevationan arrangement exactly similar to that represented in ligs.` 13 and i4, excepting that instead of v:',he disks c being formed into a toothed Wheelv` they are formed into a tatchetvihee'i.7

Having non' described the nature of niy invention, andthe manner in which the same is to be performed, l.'

wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein descrilied,and illustrated in the drawings, as the same may be varied Without departing from the nature of my invention; `but I claim as myinvent-ionl i A new or improved coupling and brake lor transmitting or regulating o1' arresting motion, the parte et' which are arranged or combined substantially in the manner hereinbefore describes and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

'ri-:learns eLDRiDGE it. s]

Witnesses:

Brennan Simmern, EDWARD ROWLAND. 

